The Sacraments: Baptism
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Baptism and the Lord’s Supper are two powerful and effectual rites of God’s people that have been abused on both ends of the spectrum.
As baptized believers, members of the New Covenant, partakers in the new creation we are called to live according to our baptism.
considering baptism: On one end of the spectrum you have the Roman Catholic church that ascribes to the waters a power that only belongs to God.
This Paul’s argument and 6.
In
Paul lays out two different worlds for us. The world of the first Adam and the world of the second Adam (Christ).
The first Adam brought sin into the world, therefore death reigned over the whole world.
Baptism is Important
In the old world, the world of sin, Death was the final act, the conclusion. The end of all creation.
The waters of baptism infuse grace upon the subject
Yet Jesus came, who was a type of Adam. He was the second Adam.
Catholics teach that “justification is given in Baptism.” The waters of baptism wash away original sin and join us with Christ. Baptism is not merely a sign and seal of grace, but actually confers saving grace.
And Jesus entered into the old world and defeated death. and by doing so brought life to those who were dying.
This means that baptism infuse grace apart from faith.
He brought a whole new world. A world that could be entered into through Christ.
That if a someone is baptized in the catholic church they are saved. Whether or not they ever believe in Jesus, go to church, take communion, or show any fruit in their lives.
On the other end of the spectrum you have multiple “free churches” that do not consider baptism to have any sort of affect on the individual or the community as a whole. Baptism is purely an act of obedience done by those who love Jesus.
There is no spiritual significance to baptism, it does not mean anything as far as your standing before Christ or before his church.
Baptism is down played to the point that it is nothing more than a public declaration of faith.
The idea of mystery is rejected.
The idea of covenantal significance is rejected.
And the idea that baptism unites us to Christ in a very real way is rejected.
Often times we are so afraid of becoming like the other end of the spectrum, that we ignore what the bible actually has to say about baptism.
So, having studied the topic of baptism and readying just about ever verse in the bible that relates to baptism I can assure you of one thing.
Baptism is Important
Baptism is Important
Last week we looked at why baptism is important and I talked about how baptism calls us to right living (in )
If we have been united to Christ through baptism, in his death and resurrection, we are then to live not as citizens of the old world in Adam (sin, condemnation) but we are to live as united to Christ in the new creation.
We are not to offer our bodies as instruments of unrighteousness (as we did in the old world)
but we are to offer our bodies as instruments of righteousness.
Paul calls the Christians in Rome to live according to their baptism. And we will come back to this call later on.
So we see baptism as important as it calls us to right living. Ok, are there any other reasons that baptism is important?
What else does the NT say in regards to baptism? Don’t we see that ultimately baptism is just a public declaration of faith? -
the ‘grace’ available to man in baptism is said by the New Testament writers to include the following elements:
So what else does the NT say about baptism?
Baptism in the New Testament (i) Baptism and Grace
the ‘grace’ available to man in baptism is said by the New Testament writers to include the following elements: forgiveness of sin, Acts 2:38 and cleansing from sins, Acts 22:16, 1 Cor. 6:11; union with Christ, Gal. 3:27, and particularly union with Him in his death and resurrection, Rom. 6:3 ff, Col. 2:11 f, with all that implies of release from sin’s power, as well as guilt, and the sharing of the risen life of the Redeemer, Rom. 6:1–11; participation in Christ’s sonship, Gal. 3:26 f; consecration to God, 1 Cor. 6:11, hence membership in the Church, the Body of Christ, 1 Cor. 12:13, Gal. 3:27–29; possession of the Spirit, Acts 2:38, 1 Cor. 6:11, 12:13, and therefore the new life in the Spirit, i.e. regeneration, Tit. 3:5, Jn. 3:5; grace to live according to the will of God, Rom. 6:1 ff, Col. 3:1 ff; deliverance from the evil powers that rule this world, Col. 1:13; the inheritance of the Kingdom of God, Jn. 3:5, and the pledge of the resurrection of the body, Eph. 1:13 f, 4:30.
forgiveness of sin,
cleansing from sins, , ;
union with Christ, ,
union with Him in his death and resurrection, , ,
release from sin’s power, as well as guilt, and the sharing of the risen life of Christ, ;
participation in Christ’s sonship, ;
Being set apart to God, ,
membership in the Church, the Body of Christ, , ;
possession of the Spirit, , , ,
new life in the Spirit, i.e. regeneration, , ;
grace to live according to the will of God, , ;
deliverance from the evil powers that rule this world, ;
the inheritance of the Kingdom of God, ,
These passages along with many others demands that we understand baptism as more than just a public declaration of faith. There is something far more significant than just a symbolic announcement of something God did in the past.
So to understand baptism we need to understand how the OT has been preparing the way for baptism.
The use of water as an instrument for religious and physical cleansing is prevalent throughout the first five books of the Bible.
Those who had committed certain defiling offenses were required to wash themselves in water in order to ceremonially purify the body. Examples of such offenses include:
The use of water as an instrument for religious and physical cleansing is prevalent throughout the Pentateuch. Those who had committed certain defiling offenses were required to wash themselves in water in order to ritually purify the body. Examples of such offenses include:
• Touching a corpse (; ; , )
• Eating or picking up a dead animal ()
• Nocturnal and seminal discharges (, , , )
The Lexham Bible Dictionary Pentateuch
The use of water as an instrument for religious and physical cleansing is prevalent throughout the Pentateuch. Those who had committed certain defiling offenses were required to immerse themselves in water in order to ritually purify the body. Examples of such offenses include:
• Touching a corpse (Num 19:10–13; 31:23–24; Lev 11, 22:4–6)
• Eating or picking up a dead animal (Lev 17:15)
• Nocturnal and seminal discharges (Lev 15:6–8, 11–12, 13, 16)
• Coming into contact with a menstruating woman’s items (Lev 15:21–22, 25–27)
• Contagious skin infections (Lev 14:8–9)
Beyond these cleansing rituals, several other practices were required in order to partake of eating sacrificed animals (Lev 8:19–21) and temple worship (Lev 15:31). Certain impurities could be only removed by using running water (Lev 14:5–6, 50–52; 15:13; Deut 21:4).
• Coming into contact with a menstruating woman’s items (, )
• Contagious skin infections ()
Cleansing with water was also required for
Temple worship
You wanted to go to the temple to enjoy the feast and bring a sacrifice for your family and maybe for friends, you had to make sure you were cerimonally clean. which included washing.
The symbolism here was that before you could come and feast with God, before you could enter into his presence you had to be clean from all defilements.
Sacrifices
Now, its important to note that many of these defilements were not always considered to be “sins” as in rebellion against God. Rather, the defilements represented our sin and our need for perfection.
So for example, what way to be defiled was to touch a corpse or a dead animal. Yet, if someone passed away and they were to burry the individual there is a touching of the corpse that must happen. This was not a sin against God, though it made the person ceremonially unclean. Therefore, they need to be washed, or baptized.
These washing were typically done by priests, but it was understood that when they were washed with water, it was God who was doing the cleansing.
There was a confidence that God was present in the cleansings.
David acknowledges this truth in his confession in
2 Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin!
7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
And what we find developing throughout the OT is a hope for that great day when there would be a final washing, a final cleansing, a final baptism that will wash away all of our impurities and defilements.
• Touching a corpse (Num 19:10–13; 31:23–24; Lev 11, 22:4–6)
• Eating or picking up a dead animal (Lev 17:15)
• Nocturnal and seminal discharges (Lev 15:6–8, 11–12, 13, 16)
• Coming into contact with a menstruating woman’s items (Lev 15:21–22, 25–27)
• Contagious skin infections (Lev 14:8–9)
Beyond these cleansing rituals, several other practices were required in order to partake of eating sacrificed animals (Lev 8:19–21) and temple worship (Lev 15:31). Certain impurities could be only removed by using running water (Lev 14:5–6, 50–52; 15:13; Deut 21:4).
We see God tell Ezekiel about this future reality in Ezekiel 36
24 I will take you from the nations and gather you from all the countries and bring you into your own land.
25 I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you.
26 And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.
27 And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules.
28 You shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers, and you shall be my people, and I will be your God.
Ezek 36:24-
There are lots of ways in which the OT points forward to baptism.
38 And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Closely tied to regeneration
5 he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit,
Compared to the flood
20 because they formerly did not obey, when God’s patience waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through water.
21 Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,
20 because they formerly did not obey, when God’s patience waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through water.
compared to the Exodus
1 For I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea,
2 and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea,
connects us to the resurrection
1 What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound?
2 By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it?
3 Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?
4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.
5 For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his.
Connects us to the new creation
Leads to right living
live according to your baptism
Baptism is God’s claim of ownership
Washings and Cleansing
circumcision
Baptism is a pledge of allegiance
Waters purifying work in Isaiah and Ezekiel
Circumcision
Baptism and Salvation
These washing identified israel as the people of God.
In fact, eventually what we see happening is something called proselyte baptisms
This is where if a gentile wanted to join the covenant people of God, one of the first things he or she had to do was to be baptized. The symbolized that they were leaving the old behind and entering into a new relationship with a new identity.
so this morning I want us to see how the Old Testament Prepares us to see Baptism as:
But most importantly the Exodus story foreshadows baptism.
A New Identity
A New Creation
We will do this by starting once again in our passage for this series, 1 cor 10:1-5
1 For I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea,
2 and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea,
3 and all ate the same spiritual food,
4 and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank from the spiritual Rock that followed them, and the Rock was Christ.
5 Nevertheless, with most of them God was not pleased, for they were overthrown in the wilderness.
Baptism: A New Identity
Baptism: A New Identity
When we look back at the story of the Exodus we see there was a moment the people had to decide, would they cross the sea or go back to Egypt? By crossing the sea they were entering into a whole new world, a new life, and they would have a new master - YHWH himself.
There was a moment the people had to decide, would they cross the sea or go back to Egypt? By crossing the sea they were entering into a whole new world, a new life, and they would have a new master - YHWH himself.
There was a moment the people had to decide, would they cross the sea or go back to Egypt? By crossing the sea they were entering into a whole new world, a new life, and they would have a new master - YHWH himself.
They had been used to their old masters… for 400 years Abrahams children have been infused into Egyptian culture.
Some were men and women of great influence and respect. While others were slaves. But one thing was for sure. They were under the rule of Pharaoh and the gods of Egypt.
So when they stood there on the bank of the red sea, with the Egyptians closing in, they would either cross the sea and everything would be different. Or they would stay and continue their lives in Egypt.
New World
God himself parted the waters, he lead them in by the his spirit, which was in the form of the pillar of cloud and fire, and as the people walked across the Red Sea they were baptized into a new reality.
the people no longer belonged to Egypt, but God had purchased his people, he redeemed a people for his own possession.
6 Say therefore to the people of Israel, ‘I am the Lord, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will deliver you from slavery to them, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great acts of judgment.
7 I will take you to be my people, and I will be your God, and you shall know that I am the Lord your God, who has brought you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians.
8 I will bring you into the land that I swore to give to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob. I will give it to you for a possession. I am the Lord.’ ”
6 Say therefore to the people of Israel, ‘I am the Lord, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will deliver you from slavery to them, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great acts of judgment.
7 I will take you to be my people, and I will be your God, and you shall know that I am the Lord your God, who has brought you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians.
13 “You have led in your steadfast love the people whom you have redeemed; you have guided them by your strength to your holy abode.
Exodus 15:
Exodus 6:
New Identity
Now having come through the Red Sea Israel belongs to God. They are now, for the first time in history considered a nation. and we see God forming his nation by giving them the the law. He gives them directions on how to worship, how to live, how to dress, how to eat. They are his people.
One New Testament scholar said this,
The Pillar New Testament Commentary: The First Letter to the Corinthians b. The History of Israel Shows that Those Who Lack Self-Restraint Are Condemned, 10:1–13
Within Israelite historical consciousness the exodus held a central place. The exodus was recalled as the major formative event in Israelite history. It was seen as the event in which Israel was created; their history as a people was perceived to have begun at the exodus. As a result, the exodus was recalled as that which formed the identity of the Israelite people; they were people who had once been slaves but had been saved from slavery by the Lord their God
Within Israelite historical consciousness the exodus held a central place. The exodus was recalled as the major formative event in Israelite history. It was seen as the event in which Israel was created; their history as a people was perceived to have begun at the exodus. As a result, the exodus was recalled as that which formed the identity of the Israelite people; they were people who had once been slaves but had been saved from slavery by the Lord their God
“Within Israelite historical consciousness the exodus held a central place. The exodus was recalled as the major formative event in Israelite history. It was seen as the event in which Israel was created; their history as a people was perceived to have begun at the exodus. As a result, the exodus was recalled as that which formed the identity of the Israelite people; they were people who had once been slaves but had been saved from slavery by the Lord their God”
Having now become a new people, with a new master and a new identity. God uses Moses to shape what it means to have a new master and a new identity.
Moses leads the people to mount Sinai where God gives Moses the law
He teaches them how to worship as a new people
He teaches them how to treat one another as a new people
He teaches them how to live, eat, work, play, and so on.
All of this is done in the form of a covenant. A bond between God and his people.
To be in covenant with God means you belong to him. He is yours and you are His.
To cross the red sea was to be baptised. to be baptised was to have a new master, new identity, and live in a new world.
Baptism means you belong to God
You see, during the 400 years of slavery the people of Israel had developed an identity.
In fact, their identity was not as followers of God - They were a rebellious and depraved people.
They worshiped other gods
They sacrificed to demons
They sought to make God jealous
In other words, they began look like the culture they lived in.
They valued the same things their culture valued
They perhaps began to adopt the values of sexuality and gender identity
They perhaps began to regard the unborn as less than human, or thought it was up to the mother and her Egyptian doctor whether or not to keep the baby.
They perhaps began to think that God’s covenant and his promises were outdate and archaic.
They began to accept the things of Egypt and reject the things of God.
And God allowed them to do so. He allowed them to follow their fleshly desires and allowed them to hit rock bottom.
Which was not what they were anticipating, they thought they were going to be able to live however they pleased, but instead they fell into slavery.
And out of the ashes of their depraved minds and hard hearts God was faithful to his promise to Abraham. And he saved them out of slavery.
if you want to read a haunting poem of Israel’s spiritual and moral decline during their time in Egypt read .
So in the waters of their baptism God cleanses them from their rebellious past.
He gives himself to them as their new master
he gives them new ethics, new morals, new relationships, and new identity.
And this is what God does for us in our baptism.
We are no longer to live according to the old ways of the old world. We are not to live like egyptians, we are to live like covenant citizens of the new world.
Our old identities are no longer what define us. For we are baptized into Christ. So he is our new identity, he is our new master, he is our new everything. Our entire world changes upon being baptised.
Look what Paul says in
27 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
29 And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise.
27 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
27 For it is written, “Rejoice, O barren one who does not bear; break forth and cry aloud, you who are not in labor! For the children of the desolate one will be more than those of the one who has a husband.”
28 Now you, brothers, like Isaac, are children of promise.
29 But just as at that time he who was born according to the flesh persecuted him who was born according to the Spirit, so also it is now.
Being baptized into Christ is like putting on Christ.
Gal 4:
clothes identify people - and baptism, according to Paul, is like clothing.
If you go to a wedding you know who is who based off of the clothing.
Bridesmaids and groomsmen are identified by their clothing
The groom is identified by his clothing
and most importantly the bride is set apart from the rest because of her dress.
If you find yourself on the army base in Fort Riley you will be able to distinguish the different individuals based off what they are wearing.
Privates are dressed different than the Sergeants
Lieutenants are dressed different than the Captains
and the Majors are dressed different than the Colonels
Clothing is a universal way of identifying yourself.
So Paul is saying that when we were baptized we put on Christ, like clothing.
And now because we have put on Christ we are no longer tied to our former identities.
28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
We are one in Christ Jesus.
No matter our background, our race, our ethnicity, our gender, our vocation, all of these things come into full submission to our ultimate identity as a baptized covenant member in union with Christ.
So the Exodus story demonstrates for us how when we were baptized we were brought into union with Christ and with his people
He is our new master - he is our lord and he is the king!
He has given us a new identity.
We are no longer considered citizens of the old world, but we are citizens of the new world in Christ.
Baptism is God’s Promise
Safety, redemption, security
18 For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit,
19 in which he went and proclaimed to the spirits in prison,
20 because they formerly did not obey, when God’s patience waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through water.
21 Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,
20 because they formerly did not obey, when God’s patience waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through water.
21 Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,
19 in which he went and proclaimed to the spirits in prison,
20 because they formerly did not obey, when God’s patience waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through water.
21 Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,
Baptism: A New Creation
Baptism: A New Creation
What we find in the Bible is that every time a new world is introduced water is present
15 “But Jeshurun grew fat, and kicked; you grew fat, stout, and sleek; then he forsook God who made him and scoffed at the Rock of his salvation.
16 They stirred him to jealousy with strange gods; with abominations they provoked him to anger.
17 They sacrificed to demons that were no gods, to gods they had never known, to new gods that had come recently, whom your fathers had never dreaded.
Deut 32:
These were the generations that led up to the exodus. They were a rebellious people who did not worship God.
18 For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit,
19 in which he went and proclaimed to the spirits in prison,
20 because they formerly did not obey, when God’s patience waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through water.
21 Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,
These were the generations that led up to the exodus. They were a rebellious people who did not worship God.
And there was good reason for that.
There were at this time no regulations for worship
No understanding of Sacrifice
No Ark of the Covenant
No Tabernacle or Temple
No Law for them to read and study
What they had was a promise, and they had a sign of that promise which was circumcision.
So the people forgot the God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob. They no longer worshipped YHWH.
in fact they began to worship other god.
4 while the Egyptians were burying all their firstborn, whom the Lord had struck down among them. On their gods also the Lord executed judgments.
2 The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.
Numbers 33:4
Numbers 33:
Creation
Water was preexistent to the creation story.
of course God created the waters at some point, but assumes the water is already there.
We then see God separating the waters and bringing about creation.
Creation in comes through water.
The Flood
We see the second creation in the bible take place in where God baptized the whole world with water, in the great flood, and brought about a new creation.
This new creation Peter sees as directly corresponding to Baptism. He says so in that baptism corresponds to the flood.
It is a movement from the old world of sin and death found in into the new creation of .
The Exodus (Red Sea)
The Exodus (Red Sea)
We then see the people of God travel through the waters of the red sea as they enter into a new creation, a new world if you would.
The Jordan
We then see another crossing of the Jordan as Joshua leads the people into the promised land, a new world, flowing with milk and honey.
Water from the Temple
In we read about a vision of water flowing from the eternal temple of God
Ezekiel talks about how the water starts as ankle deep, as he walks it then becomes knee deep, then waist deep, then so deep that you can only swim.
And everywhere the water goes it brings with it new creation
as it flows into the rivers it makes their water fresh
as it flows into the oceans it makes their waters fresh
along the banks of this river you’ll find trees with fruit and leaves that will not wither or fail. the leaves will be for healing and the fruit for eating.
Where the water flows it recreates.
It takes the old and makes it new. It washes it clean.
Nicodemus is wondering about the kingdom of God and how to be apart of that (The Kingdom of God and the new creation is the same thing)
And how does Jesus explain entrance into the kingdom of God?
3 Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
John 3:
Nicodemus doesn’t not understand what Jesus is saying. How is one born again? are they supposed to enter again into his mother’s womb and be born?
Jesus answers
5 Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.
Its amazing how creative and consistent God is in the world.
Isn’t is amazing how time after time in the bible we see that water is used for new creation.
And we see this all around us in life.
Apart from waters of spring the deadness of winter would continue on
Apart from the watering seeds the new creation of a garden will not come
Apart from a mothers water breaking, the new creation of life will not enter the world
Jesus says here, that it is through the water and the Spirit that we enter into the kingdom of God.
20 because they formerly did not obey, when God’s patience waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through water. 21 Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, 22 who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers having been subjected to him.
20 because they formerly did not obey, when God’s patience waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through water.
21 Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,
The glorious of baptism are remarkable.
1 peter 3:
Baptism unites us to the body of Christ. It is the rite of all who believe.
Baptism moves us from the old world, where our identities and values were once formed, into the new world where we are formed by Christ and his word.
We saw how the waters flowed from the temple in Ezekiel’s vision to eventually cover the whole world. This water representing the power of the gospel and of Jesus’ recreating power symbolized through baptism.
And if we were to look at great commission we see its the updated version of Ezekiel’s vision
18 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
Matthew 28:18-20
Jesus is the king who is sitting in his temple.
The ark saved Noah and his family from the old creation.
The waters washed away the old world, and out of the waters God created a new world.
Baptism Forms Community
Baptism Forms Community
So the ark rescued them both from being destroyed by the old world, by continuing to live in it. But also saved them by bringing them through the waters of the recreation.
And he is sending out his people to make disciples of the whole world. And how do we do this?
baptizing them
In the same way, Baptism rescues us from the old world. Being united to Jesus through his death and resurrection, he brings us into the new creation.
and teaching them
Baptizing them is bringing them into the new creation, the people of God. Its a mark of identity. Its who you are now. You are baptized! and what that means is that you are connected to the resurrection of Christ.
So what does this mean for us? Does this mean that as soon as we are baptized we are automatically forgiven of all of our sins and made into a new creation?
Does this mean that God has accepted elected or decreed us to be saved if we are baptized?
Does this mean that there is some magic powers in the waters of baptism that are able to cleans us from all of our sins?
and in the new creation we see all things in subjection to him as the true king who sits on the throne.
Does this mean that baptism actually saves us?
No.
Baptism is the rite that unites each individual into the body of Christ. Baptism is more about forming community than it is about an individuals announcement of faith.
and in the new world we see all things in subjection to him as the true king who sits on the throne.
v.22 angles, rulers and powers are all subjected to him.
This idea of subjection means to be in complete allegiance to Christ. To be submissive to him, to show him ultimate respect.
Now this is a problematic verse, because though baptism is far more important and powerful than we realize, we know that our baptism does not in anyway secure our eternal salvation. So what does Peter mean when he says, “baptism now saves you”?
It is being united to the body of Christ that we receive our new identity as Christians
21 Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,
Paul anticipates this misconception of the power of baptism in 1 Corinthians. And he warns them not to place their faith in the waters of baptism. But the call is live according to their baptism.
24 Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. 25 Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. 26 So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. 27 But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.
1 For I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea, 2 and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, 3 and all ate the same spiritual food, 4 and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank from the spiritual Rock that followed them, and the Rock was Christ. 5 Nevertheless, with most of them God was not pleased, for they were overthrown in the wilderness.
6 Now these things took place as examples for us, that we might not desire evil as they did.
1 Cor 9:24-10:
Though our fathers were baptized, they broke covenant with God. They disobeyed and were overthrown in the wilderness. They did not live according to their baptism.
Live According to Your Baptism
Live According to Your Baptism
Paul ends by saying, “these things took place as examples for us, that we might not desire evil as they did.”
My friends, the waters of baptism are not magical, but they are powerful
The waters of baptism do not transform you into a new creation, but you participate in the new creation when you are baptized
Baptism does not make you a righteous person, but it calls you to live as a righteous person
Baptism does not save your soul from sin, but baptism symbolizes your soul being cleansed from sin.
Baptism forms a community of men and women, boys and girls, who have pledged their allegiance to Christ and are part of his covenant people on earth.
Baptism marks out this community, the messianic-monotheist, new-exodus, crucified-and-risen community, which like Israel of old then requires a [consistent] way of life of its members
Let us be a baptized community of men and women, boys and girls who live according to our baptism.
Who worship as those who have been raised with Christ.
And love others as those who have been love by Christ.